10 of the Worst Movies Filmed in Chicago

Now, while obviously a lot of great movies were filmed in Chicago, there have also been quite a few that have been nothing short of horrendous. These are movies that we really wish weren’t set or filmed in Chicago. We don’t want to take credit for these…kind of like we don’t want to take credit for R. Kelly.

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Rent-a-Cop

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Now, normally, we love a good Burt Reynolds movie just as much as the next person, but this one is just plain bad. So bad that we actually asked five different people and they all either hadn’t seen it, or they wished they hadn’t. This film centers around a former Chicago cop who falls in love with a prostitute. With poor performances from the cast and a plot that’s reminiscent of a bad adult film, this is probably one of the worst films to have ever been set in Chicago (though most of it was filmed in Canada).

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The Lake House

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We have to be honest here: we have legitimately no idea how this movie is possible. It’s kind of like sci-fi meets romance? Sandra Bullock and Keanu Reeves both live at the same lake house…two years apart…but they communicate through a mailbox. Confused? We were too, but there are some great shots of Chicago.

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On the Line

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Oh, is this one a gem. N*sync’s Joey Fatone and Lance Bass star in this epic rom com where Lance’s character tries to woo Emmanuelle Chriqui. By “epic rom com” we mean “one of the most painfully awful things we’ve ever seen,” and by “Emmanuelle Chriqui” we mean Sloane from Entourage. This movie was filmed in Chicago and features shots of the city as well as a cameo by Sammy Sosa. At the end of the day, this movie was about as successful as Bass’ plan to go to space or Fatone’s ability to stay even remotely in shape.

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Surviving Christmas

Surviving this movie was damn near impossible. We wanted to like it so badly. James Gandolfini, Ben Affleck, the mom from Home Alone? What’s not to love? Well, a lot of things actually. The plot is totally unrealistic because nobody in their right mind would rent a family like Ben Affleck does. The film wasn’t even filmed in Chicago as planned because it was too cold, and while filming, the screenplay hadn’t been completed. Where’s Tony Soprano when you need him to take care of this film crew?

Transformers: Dark of the Moon

Okay fine, the special effects in this movie are pretty spectacular. We’ll give it that much, but other than that, it’s your typical action movie. Thin plot, lots of shooting and fight scenes, and a pretty girl to hold the attention of the guys in the audience. Let’s not forget that it also has the guy from Even Stevens in it. We don’t care how old Shia LaBeouf gets; he’ll always be Louis Stevens to us.

Poltergeist 3

This movie was so catastrophic that the entire film series is actually said to be cursed. It’s hands down the worst of the trilogy, and the fact that it’s placed in Chicago makes us cringe with disgust rather than horror. The acting and writing of the film are both horrendously overdone. Characters actually take yelling Carol Anne’s name to a new level, doing so more than 100 times. The only interesting thing about this film is that it’s set in the Hancock Center (because apparently this family is rich), and the Hancock Center is rumored to be haunted. Coincidence? We think so.

Fred Claus

Vince Vaughn definitely has some love for Chicago, and hey, we don’t blame him, but we’d love it if he stopped making crappy movies in our city. This is one of TWO terrible Vince Vaughn movies on our list. We really aren’t even sure it’s necessary to say this one is in Chicago. It mostly takes place in the North Pole (obviously), and the whole movie feels like it’s not sure whether it wants to be a slapstick comedy or a wholesome holiday movie. Either way, we’re happy that only a small portion of its mediocrity was within our city limits.

The Dilemma

Seriously, Vince? Another one? You’re not even FROM Chicago! You were born in Minneapolis. Set and film your crappy, anti-climactic movies there.

Save the Last Dance

We’ve all seen this movie. Even if you haven’t actually watched it, you pretty much know what happens. Julia Stiles is forced to move to a rough Chicago neighborhood where she stands out like a sore thumb. Enter the edgy, but great guy to loosen her up. Controversial relation and break-up ensue, her dancing dreams come to fruition and they live happily ever after. This could have taken place anywhere, but for some reason, it was set and filmed in our great city.

Home Alone 3

We’ll never get this two hours back. On our deathbeds, we’re all literally going to be wishing we’d never seen this movie. Thankfully, most people refuse to even watch this movie, and probably don’t know that it was filmed in Chicago.

These are the 10 Worst Movies Filmed in Chicago. Looking for the 10 best? Right here.

About Author

Sarah Langer

Sarah moved back to the Chicagoland area after graduating from the University of Illinois Champaign-Urbana with a Bachelor’s Degree in English and Creative Writing. During her breaks from school, Sarah spent her time racking up years of customer service and office experience. Unlike the stereotypical writer, she loves being social and interacting with people of all backgrounds and cultures. While Sarah finds her inspiration from people, her one true love is actually her dog, Dick Butkus, or Butkus for short. And yes, she is a Chicago Bears enthusiast. During her downtime, Sarah enjoys eating a lot, not working out, mob movies, and partaking in sassy banter with her friends and family.

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